The present invention relates to a method for providing paste-like building materials, especially mortar, at construction sites. The invention further relates to a device for implementing the method by providing a storage container for the paste-like building material having a fixedly pre-determined basic consistency, a conveying and mixing pump arranged downstream and a water supply opening for feeding additional water in order to decrease the viscosity of the paste-like building material.
Factory mortar (or similar paste-like material) is transported by means of containers for mortar from the production place to the construction site where it is processed. However, because the production sites can produce the mortar with a standard consistency only and the respective application method is not known (for example, the temperature of the application surface, the application skills of the construction workers, etc.) the mortar with its consistency as delivered has to be worked with on the construction site. This can result in a poor plastering quality. In order to be able to alter the mortar consistency, additional water can be initially supplied to the container by means of buckets or a hose, however, a burdensome mixing with a manual mixing device has to be performed subsequently. If too much water is added by mistake, the mortar cannot be used any more.
Based on this background, it is an object of the invention to create a method for providing paste-like building materials, especially mortar, at construction sites, with which the consistency of the paste-like building material to be worked with can be increased; furthermore, a device for implementing the method shall be created.
This object is solved with respect to the inventive method by feeding additional water amounts to a fixedly pre-determined basic consistency of a paste-like building material in order to decrease the viscosity of the paste-like building material in order to create the desired consistency.
With the inventive method, paste-like building materials, especially paste-like mortar are still being delivered to construction sites in this paste-like consistency, however, the inventive idea is to feed additional water to the mortar at the location of processing the mortar in order to adjust the consistency of the mortar and in order to warrant the micro structural logistics from the mortar container to the facade by means of this subsequent water supply operation at the construction site. In this manner, the mortar that is produced with a standard consistency can be adjusted to the respective processing method by subsequently adding specific amounts of water, it can be adjusted, for example, to the temperature of the application surface of the mortar and the processing skills of the construction worker. In this manner, the respectively desired mortar consistency can be automatically produced in a flexible way and without any great efforts by means of the inventive method by injecting additional water at the construction site.
A further development of the inventive method provides that the water added to the paste-like building material at the construction site is continuously added and mixed to the material and the material is continuously conveyed toward a discharge opening. This further development has the advantage that it enables a continuous process of continuously providing paste-like building materials, especially mortar, of a respectively desired consistency.
The object is solved with respect to the device by providing a storage container for the paste-like building material having a fixedly pre-determined basic consistency, a conveying and mixing pump arranged downstream and a water supply opening for feeding additional water in order to decrease the viscosity of the paste-like building material.
By means of the inventive container for the mortar, paste-like building materials, especially paste-like mortar are still, as has already been described, being delivered to construction sites in this paste-like consistency, however, the inventive idea is to feed additional water to the mortar at the location of processing the mortar while it is being taken from the container in order to adjust the consistency of the mortar. The integrated mortar pump unit is thus provided with an additional water injection device with a water metering device arranged upstream for warranting the micro structural logistics from the mortar container to the facade by this subsequent water feeding at the construction site.
Another embodiment provides that the conveying and mixing pump is arranged below the storage container. This embodiment has the advantage that the paste-like building material can flow downwardly directly into the conveying and mixing pump where the additional water feeding occurs.
All aggregates of the conveying and mixing pump are provided within the long, tube-shaped part of another embodiment. The electric motor is preferably arranged at that end of the tube which lies opposite the distribution end.
Because the conveying and mixing pump according to another embodiment is positioned below the storage container 2 and does not exceed the dimensions thereof, shipping damages are prevented and an easier handling is warranted.
Another embodiment provides that the conveying and mixing pump is provided with a shaft is arranged in a casing and has conveying and mixing elements. These conveying and mixing elements can be optimized with respect to their application purpose. In particular, the conveying and mixing elements can be provided with a common shaft, which results in an overall simple structure.
In another preferred embodiment the conveying and mixing pump is provided in a discharge area of the storage container with sequential pump portions comprising a conveying portion with conveying elements for receiving the paste-like building material from the storage container and an adjacent mixing portion provided with the water supply opening and with mixing elements. Preferably, the mixing portion lies within the last third of the entirety of the pump portions. The mixing elements can be shaped hedgehog-like. In order to feed the extremely low amounts of water that have to be added to the paste-like mortar for altering its consistency in a continuously pumping process, the conveying and mixing pump is provided with a mixing portion specifically designed for that purpose to which the mortar to be altered is being added and being conveyed thereto from the conveying portion. The hedgehog-type mixing elements on the hedgehog-type shaft of the last third of the entirety of the portions formed of conveying and mixing portion warrant a quick feeding of the water into the mortar that passes through. In this manner, the mortar, altered in its consistency, leaves the conveying and mixing pump at a high uniformity and can be processed from there.
In another embodiment, the consistency-altered mortar is pressed through the third distribution portion and the uniform consistency of the mortar is thereby increased. The distribution opening for the paste-like mortar is adjacent to the distribution portion. For example, the mortar can be distributed by means of a hose.
Another preferred embodiment suggests that the water supply opening is provided with a water metering device having needle valves. The claim of the inventive method for optimizing the consistency of the mortar consists in only a very low amount of water of approximately 10 to 20 liters per hour to be required in the case of a mortar container having a volume of 1 to 2 m3. In order to be able to add this extremely low water quantity to the mortar in a continuous pumping process, the installed water metering device is provided with very small dimensioned needle valves at flow meters with which it is possible to feed the low water quantities to the mortar passing through the conveying and mixing pump. During the pumping action, the water is being fed by means of a hose automatically via the water metering device and a control unit.
Finally, an over-dosing of water is prevented by another embodiment according to which the means for the introduction of water into the conveying and mixing pump is stopped simultaneously with stopping the conveying and mixing pump.